After successful completion of the course, students are able to analyze or "solve" typical problems in calculus of variations. Moreover, they will know techniques from Gamma-convergence, homogenization and Young measures.
classical examples (catenary curve, minimal surfaces), Euler-Lagrange equation, classical solution theory (via differential equations, "indirect method"), existence and uniqueness theory ("direct solution method", Tonelli's program), constrained problems, obstacle problems, variational inequalities, non-convex functionals, saddle point problems